J.B. Becker Walkenberg Spatlese Trocken 2022 | German Riesling

Estate was founded in 1893 by Jean-Baptiste Becker in Walluf, the easternmost village of the Rheingau. Today, the winery is led by Jean-Baptiste’s grandson, Hans-Josef ("HaJo") Becker, along with his wife Maria.

HaJo Becker is famous for his refusal to follow modern commercial winemaking trends. While many German producers shifted toward stainless steel tanks, cultivated commercial yeasts, and early bottling, Becker preserved traditional Rheingau practices, earning a passionate international cult following among sommeliers and collectors.

The estate practices strict organic farming (certified since the 2010s, though farmed organically for decades prior). No chemical herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or pesticides are used in the vineyards. Yields are kept deliberately low to ensure maximum flavor concentration and natural grape sugars without artificial intervention.

Grapes are hand harvested from Walkenberg vineyard - a south- and southeast-facing vineyard sitting along the Rhine River near Walluf. It features deep loess-clay soils interspersed with gravel, providing exceptional water retention and rich minerality.

Fermentation occurs completely naturally using ambient wild yeasts. No commercial yeasts, enzymes, or aggressive clarifying agents are added. Fermentation and aging take place in large, neutral German oak casks known as Fuder (typically 1,200-liter capacity). These neutral barrels allow slight micro-oxygenation without imparting oak or vanilla flavors, giving the wines their signature broad texture and longevity. Wines spend extended periods maturing on their fine lees before bottling, which imparts natural stability, complexity, and protection against oxidation. Low levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are added only before bottling to maintain purity while allowing the wine to express its natural character. Bottled strictly with Vinolok glass stoppers under black foil, ensuring zero risk of cork taint and perfectly uniform aging across bottles. Becker is famous for holding back significant portions of every vintage in his deep cellars, releasing old vintages only when he feels they have entered their ideal drinking window.